Aircraft employ high lift devices, sometimes referred to as auxiliary airfoils, along the leading and trailing edges of the wings. For example, high lift devices along the leading edge of a wing are referred to as slats and high lift devices along the trailing edge of a wing are referred to as flaps. The high lift devices are actuated to extend outward from the wing to change the aerodynamic lift of the wing during takeoff and landing. Each of the high lift devices is actuated by one or more drive mechanisms, which are coupled to ribs or support beams in the wing. In particular, each drive mechanism includes a pinion gear that is rotated to drive a rack coupled to the high lift device. As the pinion gear is rotated, the rack is driven to move the high lift device along a track, thereby extending the high lift device outward from the wing. Each pinion gear is in driving engagement with a geared rotary actuator (GRA). Each pinion gear and its respective GRA is interconnected with an adjacent (e.g., upstream and downstream) pinion gear and GRA via a torque tube. In other words, an aircraft typically employs a series of torque tubes that translate torque to each of the driving mechanisms along the leading or trailing edge of the wing. One motor may be used to drive one of the driving mechanisms, which thereby transfers torque to each of the other driving mechanisms through the series of torque tubes. Therefore, each of the high lift devices may be controlled to move, simultaneously with the other high lift devices, between a stowed configuration and an extended configuration.
Known torque tube assemblies utilize bolted flanges to couple a torque tube to a pinion gear or GRA. However, using flanges results in a relatively large rotational envelope, which requires a relatively large space to accommodate the rotating flanges. Additionally, the use of flanges can be hazardous if a technician's hands are close to the torque tube during operation. Further, in some instances, the bolts of the flange can loosen, thereby compromising the structural integrity of the torque tube. Also, as the wing flexes (e.g., due to change in weight of the wing from decreasing fuel), the alignment and distances between the driving mechanisms may change. This flexing of the wing causes additional forces and strain on the torque tube assemblies.